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| View Larger Image | Blackout Girl: Growing Up and Drying Out in America
by Jennifer Storm
| | List Price: | $14.95 | | Price: | $10.17 | | You Save: | $4.78 (32%) |  | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours | | | | | Sales Rank: | 233582 | | Studio: | Hazelden | | | Binding: | Paperback | | Number Of Pages: | 304 | | Publication Date: | February 15, 2008 | | Publisher: | Hazelden |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
"Where the hell am I? How did I get here?"
Beginning at the age of 12, Jennifer Storm asked herself these questions many times after waking from alcohol-induced blackouts. During her teens and early twenties, Storm turned to alcohol to deal with the traumas in her life. In addition to alcohol, she also experimented with drugs, and eventually began using crack to deal with the deep black hole of sadness, loss, and unworthiness that she felt inside herself.
That is, until she awoke in a hospital psych ward and saw bandages on her wrists. "The doctor came in and said I was a very lucky girl to be alive," she explains, "and for the first time in my life, I believed it." She agreed to transfer to a rehabilitation center, though she wondered how life would be without alcohol and drugs. "Even as I asked myself this question, I quietly just knew I would never need them again. That inherent knowledge gave me a greater sense of peace than I had ever felt before. It was intoxicating in a whole new way."
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CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 17 reviews)
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Lacking in Vividness 
Jennifer Storm says that her intent in writing this book is to help others, and I believe that her book will accomplish that goal. It is a humble account of her life as an alcoholic and addict, which will probably help many young people better understand the disease. However, Storm's style is so colloquial that I began to wonder if she might have simply recorded herself telling her story and then transcribed it to create a book. I initially found her prose refreshing in contrast to all the overwritten memoirs by authors who spent too much time MFAing their stories, but I soon began missing vivid description and adjectives other than "numb" and "ashamed." I don't say this to be cruel; I just wanted to understand what she experienced and her writing kept me from doing so.
August 16, 2008 | |
Courtesy of Teens Read Too 
Based on her real-life experiences, Jennifer Storm shares her difficult but triumphant story. Drinking, blackouts, drugs, addiction, and suicide attempts were all parts of her life in her teens and early twenties.
As you read about Jennifer's experiences, you will be amazed --- because the entire time you are reading her story, you know that she is writing her story, so she has to get better, right? And there are things so out-there that one would either think that there is no way this person would ever have a normal life or that the story must be fiction. But both of those thoughts would be incorrect.
What I loved about this book was that Jennifer was not afraid to share the ugly side of her addiction and substance abuse--it took her to some very daunting places that many would be too ashamed to share. I also was happy that hers was such a success story. When Jennifer decided that she was finished with that lifestyle, she was truly finished. (Of course, she received help to do so.)
Often times, our strengths are also our weaknesses....the fact that once she decides to quit using, she is able to do it will offer hope to many, because it can happen. However, for those who have tried to stop but have relapsed, I hope it doesn't send them the message that a relapse means they won't be able to get better the next time. Or the next. Or the next.
Regardless, Jennifer's story is one worth reading. My best wishes to her and her continued success.
Reviewed by: Dianna Geers
August 06, 2008 | |
A million people could have written this book
Sorry, but I couldn't help but think the whole time in the book, "Typical white trash girl, with parents that didn't pay attention, drug addict/alcoholic, who is surprised no one cares about her when she doesn't care about herself." Not a really compelling book when the main character isn't really likable or relatable.
I felt that a lot of people have gone through types of things like she does and have much more interesting insights. Basically, I thought she was just unintelligent, very trashy in her young age (sorry) and totally numb, not feeling or caring about anything. Yeah, she had a crappy upbringing, but many do. She just drank and drank and then was surprised when bad things happened to her. She had so much self pity and didn't even want to try and understand her feelings. When I was 17, which wasn't long ago, I was smart enough to know that smoking crack is going to add to your problems, not fill in a void.
July 27, 2008 | |
OK first effort, but not compelling
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Is it just me or is the 'recovery memoir' genre dying?
Perhaps it's the fallout over James Frey and that 'Million Little Pieces' fiasco. Since then I've approached books like Blackout Girl with a skeptics eye. Not that I have any inside knowledge about what's true and false in these pages, but there are several sections that strain credulity. Maybe this is to be expected. After all, most drug addicts and alcoholics lived in a fog and thus have a hard time separating what they believed happened with what actually happened. It comes with the territory.
A major drawback of 'Blackout Girl' is that the book relies heavily upon events. This is a common weakness in many memoirs...the author believes you'll find the events interesting in and of themselves. But they arenot. What's missing is the interpretation. Good memoirs include reflection about why these things happened and how they shaped the writer's life. It adds the necessary meaning to the story (See Kurtz's 'The Spirituality Of Imperfection')
Finally, the writing is a bit halting and the narrative does not flow easily. In far too many places the narrative jumps to the next point without fully exploring the current current topic. Gives the book a herky-jerky feeling. A good editor could have done much with this.
Kudos to the author for revealing what she did.
May 28, 2008 | |
Bring Storm to Your Campus!!! 
Jennifer Storm is a true survival story...one that breaks the heart, captures the soul, and defies the odds. Having known Storm only in sobriety, I was stunned to read of the horrible events that shaped her past, as well as her unrelenting descent into addiction and self-destruction. This woman of such charisma, intelligence, and spirit could not possibly have been so close to complete and utter disaster. And yet, she was...thankfully living to tell us about it. I am so grateful that Storm shared her story with me, with our student-athletes, with our educators, with all of us. For a person to know with certainty that he or she is not alone is the ultimate gift; with a brutally honest account of her past, Storm has given a voice to countless others. Anyone who has the privilege and courage to read this book or to hear Storm speak will feel the hope and energy that fuels her indomitable spirit, and can also help to fuel their own journey through recovery.
I absolutely recommend this book to all young women...and young men. If you are looking for a speaker to reach your young people, bring Storm to your campus or school. Our student-athletes (and coaches and administrators) were completely taken not only by her message, but also by her charismatic presence. I have no doubt she started the healing process for many, and most assuredly saved a few lives.
April 23, 2008 | |
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